If you’re the kind who likes to unwind with a bottle or ten, you’d be devastated to know that beer companies will probably be no longer brewing in the apocalypse. It’s sad to think that you won’t have your favorite drink to help you make sense or forget about the end of the world.
Assuming you would survive an apocalyptic event, it would be great to sit back and chug a bottle of brewski after a long day of scavenging and evading zombies or whatever it is you have to run away from. This is entirely possible if you had a way to make your own beer at home.
A number of preppers have taken to brewing beer on their own. Many believe that it’s a skill worth learning, especially when the EOTW does come. You see, beer and other alcoholic beverages will likely fetch a high price when money is no longer valuable.
Food, water, ammunition and alcoholic drinks will be the main stars of any bartering or trade negotiations. It’s a good idea then to start learning about beer-making so you won’t have any problems home brewing in the apocalypse if and when the time comes.
What You Will Need
You can’t make the perfect brew without the right ingredients. The problem is that you’re home brewing in the apocalypse, which means the ingredients are not as readily available as before the world came to an end.
Hops
If you like your beer bitter, you have hops to thank for. Hops are the flowers or seed cones of Humulus lumupulus, otherwise known as the hop plant. The cones from the female hop plant gives beer its distinct bitter taste and aroma.
Malt Extract
The malt extract is the source of sugar in beer. It is made from barley that has already undergone germination. Malt extract comes in liquid and dry forms.
Yeast
You’d probably be surprised to know that there’s fungus in your beer. But before you say “gross,” you must understand that without yeast, you won’t have beer. Yeast’s primary role in your efforts of becoming king of home brewing in the apocalypse is to ferment the beer.
Like malt extract, yeast comes in liquid and dry forms. The former has a short shelf life but comes in a number of varieties. The latter, meanwhile, has a longer shelf, which is great if you plan on home brewing your beer even after the collapse of society. Dry yeast is also relatively easier to prepare than the liquid one.
Specialty Grains
Aside from malt, special grains are responsible for the actual taste of the beer. Stock up on lots of different grains you can use for home brewing in the apocalypse.
Water
I know what you’re thinking. Why waste valuable water making beer. The short answer is, “why not?” The long answer is that beer has its own advantages during the apocalypse. If you run out of clean, drinking water, beer is the next best thing compared to other spirits. Beer has less alcohol per volume, which makes it the better drink to have when thirsty. Plus, it’s sort of a comfort food or drink, in this case. The emotional comfort that beer provides for beer lovers can lift up the spirits helping you overcome the horror happening all around you.
Home Brewing Instructions
Some home brewers have sophisticated set-ups like the one in Agent Hank’s garage in Breaking Bad. If wish to be known as the Beer King and control the trade when SHTF, you may want to invest on such equipment right now. But if you’re the kind who doesn’t like to complicate things, you can still do some home brewing in the apocalypse. All you need basically is a huge pot, muslin bags, fire, and all the ingredients to make your beer.
Boil water in a 5 gallon kettle or stainless pot up to 150 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your specialty grains inside a muslin bag. Turn off the flame before placing the bag in the hot water so as not to burn it. Let the grains steep for about 30 minutes. Stir the grains from time to time. You’ll notice the color of the water changing.
Remove the muslin bag and place it in a strainer. Pour hot water on the bag to get more of the grains, flavor and color of the grains. The resulting water is called wort or unfermented beer.
Add malt extract into the wort. Stir continuously until the malt mixes thoroughly with the hot water.
On normal days, you boil your pot in a stove. But during the apocalypse, you need to be able to build a fire. Bring the wort to a rolling boil. Nurse the boil so it won’t get too violent.
Place the hops in a muslin bag and tie the end securely. This part is important as you don‘t want your hops escaping the bag. Add the hops-filled bag into your boiling water. Set the timer to 60 minutes. At the end of the boiling time, you may want to add aromatic or finishing hops. Let the wort cool down immediately.
Home brewing in the apocalypse is possible as long as you’re serious about your craft. It will take some time before you perfect your beer recipe. Don’t wait for the end of the world to start learning about home brewing beer. Go to The Gentleman Pirate to learn more about home brewing and other cool stuff.
You don’t have to wait for the apocalypse to do some home brewing. In fact, you should consider earning an income from making your own beer. Beer Brewing Made Easy will take you step by step to how you can make great tasting beer at home.
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